In humanitarian emergencies such as flooding, epidemics, and conflicts, there is a rapid demand for health facilities and therefore also for medical waste management. Temporary burners or small-scale incinerators are usually constructed to deal with the burnable medical waste. However these incinerators often don’t reach sufficiently high temperatures for the necessary duration, are inefficient in terms of fuel consumption and heat retention, and have short lifespans. The higher performing designs can be difficult to construct and operate without specially trained workers, or specialized materials/parts that can take time to source. The Seeker desires a simple, efficient, and durable incinerator that is safe to operate and affordable in low-middle income countries. The design must be lightweight and easy to transport and assemble, or built on-site with accessible skills and materials.

When people are forced to leave their homes by conflicts or disasters, they often relocate to refugee or displaced persons camps. Safety and sanitation are of prime concern and latrines are set up in blocks throughout the camps. There is a safety concern for people (mostly women and children) who use the latrines, particularly at night in the dark. We are looking for an economical, sustainable lighting system to minimize safety concerns so latrines are properly utilized.